Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup

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EA's next sports title to feature children and magical broomsticks.

By IGN Staff

Electronic Arts has a long history of publishing some of the best sports videogames in the industry. Today, it announced a new title joining its 2003 line-up, but it's not what you might expect. Get ready to take to the air in Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup for GameCube, PS2, Xbox, PC, and GBA. That's right -- Harry Potter, baby!

Moviegoers and book lovers will recognize the name "Quidditch" as the wacky and fictional sport spotlighted at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where two teams of seven players magically fly through the air on broomsticks and attempt to score points in a number of ways. EA's new game aims to become the first full-blown simulation of this book-based game, which has been recently brought to life so vividly in the movies. Players will take control of all of the various positions on the team: Chasers on offense, Beaters and Keepers on defense, and Seekers going after that elusive Snitch.

In typical EA form, Quidditch World Cup will be stacked with as much of the same great EA options and depth as the Harry Potter sport allows. There will be four Hogwarts House teams to choose from, including Harry Potter's Gryffindor and Draco Malfoy's Slytherin. Each competes for the prized Hogwarts Cup and ultimately a chance at the Quidditch World Cup itself. Step aside, Super Bowl.

That's right, EA isn't keeping the Quidditch pinned up within Hogwarts. Players can compete internationally, with a full line-up of teams ranging from USA to Bulgaria (starring Victor Krum), the Nordics, England, Japan, France, Germany, and Australia. Each will, of course, have its own tactics and stadiums to keep the action interesting. A ladder competition is promised, and, best of all, Quidditch World Cup marks the first Harry Potter title to feature head-to-head multi-player gameplay.

EA's UK Studio is hard at work on the title and is attempting to crank it out in time for the upcoming 2003 holiday season. Potter fans should stay tuned to IGN as we give EA's broomstick line-up a try for ourselves in the near future and report back with full impressions and first media.